1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a vibration damper with amplitude-dependent damping force including a cylinder; a piston rod which is axially movable in the cylinder; a housing having a tubular part and a bottom part, wherein the tubular part is connected to the piston rod; and a piston carried by the bottom part, the piston dividing the cylinder into a working space on the piston rod side of the piston and a working space away from the piston rod. A separating body, which is supported inside the housing with freedom to move axially, divides the housing into first and second working chambers. A radial connecting opening connects the first working chamber to the working space on the piston rod side, and a connecting channel connects the second working chamber to the working space away from the piston rod.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vibration damper with amplitude-dependent damping force is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,326. This damper has a housing, which is attached to the piston rod above the piston. A spring-supported separating piston is installed inside the housing. The housing has radial connecting openings leading to a working space on the piston rod side of the piston and also an axial connecting channel passing through a piston rod pin to a working space on the side of the piston away from the piston rod. The advantage of arranging the housing in the piston-rod side working space in comparison with installing it in the working space on the side away from the piston rod is said to be that the dimensions thus become more compact. When the design according to FIG. 3 is considered under the aspect of the amount of axial space required, however, the alleged advantage of shorter length does not come into play, because the threaded joint has a larger outside diameter than the rest of the piston rod, which means that the length of the housing must continue to be considered a preload length for the travel of the piston rod, i.e. the housing limits the distance the piston rod can travel.